Mine-laying submarine



2 Sheets-Sheet l L, Y. SPEAR MINE LAYING SUBMARINE Filed Aug. 21, 1929 y April 21, 1931.

April 21, 1931A. L. Y. SPEAR MINE LAYING SUBMARINE Filed Aug. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y JZZ/Q law/@7209K Deaf? M1 @m f Patented Apr. 21, 1931 STATES U .y i

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY, OF GROTON, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MINE-LAYNG- SUBMARINE Application filed August 21, 1929. Serial No. 387,284.

This invention relates to mine laying submarine boats, and more particularly to a boat for laying mines by what is known as the dry system.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a submarine boathaving mine stowage tubes so disposed as not to occupy valuable space in the pressure hull, these tubes having associated therewith means for transferring the mines from the tubes and for discharging them eXteriorly of the hull. Another object is so to dispose the mine stowage tubes in relation to the hull structure as to obviate any increase in the dimensions thereof, thus preventing interference with the speed or radius of action of the boat. A further object is to provide a boat in which the stowage tubes and associated parts are so disposed as to provide an extremely simple compensating system while also preventing any material change in trim of the boat during discharge of the mines.

Another object is to provide a boat in which the stowage tubes are so disposed and arranged as to eliminate objectionable eddies such as would interfere with the speed or handling of the boat. It is also an object of my invention to provide simple and highly eflicient means for laying or discharging the mines while making the same accessible for inspection and setting immediately before discharge. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View of a submarine boat constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional vicw of such boat,

Y Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on line 4--4 of Figure l, j

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure l, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken adjacent the forward end of the mine receiving and discharge tube, 50 this tube and associated parts being omitted, and showing the means for operating the door of the tube.

The boat is, in general, of known construction, comprising an inner pressure hull l and an outer hull 2, the space between these two hulls comprising ballast and other tanks in a known manner At each side of the pressure hull, and in the spacebetween the two hulls, I provide a mine stowage tube 3. These tubes extend fore and aft of the hull and are preferably, though not necessarily, disposed hori- Zontally. In the preferable arrangement, illustrated by the drawings, the permanently closed end 4 of the tubes 3 is forward. As illustrated, the opposite end of tube 3 is open. This, however, is preferably, although not necessarily, provided with a closure c (which may be of the portable type) in order to prevent iooding the boat in the event of a ruptured or leaky mine storage tube. The tubes 3 which are watertight and adapted to withstand full submergence pressure, open into spaces 5 which constitute extensions of the mine room 6 within hull l. Mine racks 7 (Fig. 4) are mounted in spaces 5 and, when the mines have been loaded into the tubes and upon these racks, removable stanchions 8 are secured at the inner sides of the spaces 5 as in Figs. 2 and 4. A mine receiving and discharge tube 9 is disposed between the hulls in substantial alignment with each of the tubes 3 and with one end opening directly into extension 5 of the mine room 6 and disposed closely adjacent to the after end of rack 7. At the end of this tube, adjacent to rack 7, I provide a gate valve 10 operating in a casing l1 which extends through the pressure hull 1 and into the mineV room 6, the opposite end of the tube being permanently closed.

This valve may be operated manually from within the mine room, though I prefer to provide suitable mechanism for assuring quick operation of the valve, this mechanism comprising a cylinder 12 to which compressed air may be supplied in a known manner, and a mechanism operating in the cylinder and having operating connections with the valve. Any other suitable or preferred mean-s may be employed for operating the gate valve.

Tube 9 is adapted to receive a mine disposed within the same and this tube is provided with a mine discharge opening extending through its bottom, such opening being of proper size to facilitate ready discharge of the mine from the tube. The bottom of the tube is normally closed by a cover or door 13 which is hinged at its inner side at 13a. This cover is operated in a suitable manner and, when in open position, is inclined downwardly and outwardly of the outer hull 2, so

Vas to direct a mine 14 supported upon the upper face of the cover outwardly through a mine discharge opening 15 provided in-the outer hull 2. This operation will be clear from Figure 3 in which one of the doors 13 is shown in its full open position discharging a mine through opening 15. After the mine has thus been discharged, the door is raised into closed position, in which position it is vnormally maintained by suitable operating means to be hereinafter described.

Each of the tubes 3 and the. rack 7 and tube 9 associated therewith is provided with suitablev conveying mechanism for moving the mines through the tubes in either direction and for transferring the mines from the rack to the tubef9. Conveying mechanism of this. character is known in the art and need not be illustrated nor described in detail. l have indicated such mechanism vdiagrammatically by pinions 16, in Figure 2, disposed at the upper portion of tubes 3 and 9 and above the rack 7. These pinions are driven in a suitable manner from an electric motor 17 disposed within mine room 6. Suitable driving connections and control means are provided for driving any selected set or series of pini ons in either direction desired, as is known in the art. This conveying mechanism provides rmeans whereby the mines can be loaded into the stowa ge tubes and can be transferred therefrom to the mine receiving and discharge tubes.

When itis desired to lay or discharge the mine, valve 10 Aat the end 'of tube 9 is opened, the door 13 remaining closed. A mine is then moved from rack 7- into tube 9 and valve 10 is then closed. Sea water isthen admitted to tube 9 from a supplemental compensating tank 18, by means ofa pipe 19 provided with a suitable valve 20, this tank beingpreferably disposed in alignment withv and 'below the mine receiving and discharge tube. y Y Door 13 isthen opened andmineld is discharged through opening 15 outwardlybeyond the outer hull, as previously described. After the niinehas been discharged, the door is again closed and the water in Vtube 9 is blowny into the compensating tank 18. Suitable meanscis provided whereby water from he compensating tank 18 may be transferred to a'inain compensating tank 21 disposed aft of tube 9. During the movementof the mine from rack 7` into tube 9, water is caused to flow from compensating tank 21 forwardly to a second main compensating tank 22 disposed immediately forward ofthe forward end of tube 3. This forward movement of the water off-sets the moment due to the rearward or sternward movement of the mine. I also provide a quick flooding compensating tank 23 disposed approximately in alignmentl with'the discharge tube 9, this tank having a sea water capacity equivalent to the nega! tive buoyancy of one mine. Tank 23 is flooded full from the sea while a mine is being discharged, so that the weight of watertaken in off-sets the netvweight in seawater of the mine which is discharged, thus maintaining the original balance ofweight and buoyancy of the vessel. As soon as tank 23 is full, the sea valve by means of which water is admitted to this tank is closed and the water in tank 23 is then transferredto the main compensating tank in a known manner, leaving tank 23 empty and ready to repeat thecompensa-ting process when the next mine is discharged.

instead of one quick flooding tank, several such tanks vmay be used if desired, particu'- larly when the time element is of more than usual importance. The mines are preferably discharged from the tubes alternately so as to minimize the time required for discharge of all mines. After all of the mines have been discharged, the main compensating tanks 21 and 22 are preferably full of water, these tanks being of proper capa-city to compensate for the mines. It is to be par ticularly noted that the tubes, as lwell as the compensating tanks, are preferably disposed at the midship portion of the boat. This provides aV simple arrangement which facili` tates compensation. l

The doors 13 of the mine receiving and discharge tubes 9 may be operated in any suit able manner from within the inner pressure hull 1. 'I have shown, by way ofexample, l

ak cylinder 24 disposed within the vpressure hull and in which operates a piston in a known manner, to which is secured a piston rod 25 which operates through an opening 26 through hull 1. Cylinder 24 is secured on a collar or sleeve 27 suitably secured to the inner face of hull 1, about opening 26. The outer end of piston'rod v25 is connected by alink 28 to a toggle 29, at the `ioint thereof, the lower end of this togglebeing pivoted at 30. The upper end ofthe toggle is piviis otally secured, at 3l, to the under faceA Of V` cover 13 and the toggle may be provided with suitable means limiting movement thereof in straightening directiomin a known manner. Y. Suitable means is provided ,for admitting liquid under pressure to cylinder 2li at either end thereof for proiectingand retracting the piston rod 25, thus providing hydraulicl operating means for opening and closingw the cover and Vholding it in closed position.

iso

When piston rod 25 is retracted the toggle structure 29 is broken inwardly toward the inner hull 1 and acts to swing the cover downwardly about its hinge 13a into its full openposition illustrated in Figure 5, thus discharging mine 14 through opening 15 of the outer hull 2.

Preferably, though not necessarily, I provide a closure plate 33 which, in itsfoperative position, covers opening 15 so as to effectively close the same as in Figure 6. This is advantageous as preventing objectionable eddies or swirls which would tend to inter-V fere with the speed or radius of action of the boat. This plate 33 is mounted at its ends, in guide strips, 34, secured to the inner face of outer hull 2. Plate 33 is suitably connected, as by a link 35, to cover 13 in such manner that, when the cover is lowered into its open position the plate 15 is moved into its lowered or inoperative position so as to leave the opening l5 unobstructed.

When cover 13 is returned to its normal closed position, plate 33 is raised thereby into its operative position shown in Figure 6. To facilitate shipping 0f the mines, I provide a hatch 36 which opens into the mine room 6 and is provided with a suitable cover or door 37, as in Figure 2. The mines are lowered through this hatch into the mine room, as indicated. After the mines have been lowered into the mine room, the stanchiens 8 being removed,they are moved or transported by a suitable trolley, which travels on rails`38 extending transversely of the mine room and at opposite sides of hatch 36, to the racks. The mines are then loaded onto the racks and, by proper operation of the conveying mechanism, are moved forwardly into the tubes 3. After the tubes have been completely loaded, and a mine has been placed Ain each of the racks, the stanchions 8 are replaced. In this manner the tubes and the racks can be loaded with facility. y

Each of the tubes 3 is capable of containing 9 mines which, with the one mine supported upon the rack in alignment with the tube, makes a total of 20 mines which can be carried by the boat. The length of the tubes can be varied within limits and I do not, therefore, limit myself as to the particular number of mines which the tubes carry. Also, while I have shown one tube disposed at each side of the hull, the number of tubes provided can be varied within limits and as conditions may require.

By disposing the tubes betweenV the hulls, valuable space inv the pressure hulliis not taken up and the necessity of increasing the dimensions of the boat to accommodate the mine stowage is eliminated. It is also to be noted that, by employing a smallnumber of mine stowage tubes, the mines can readily be laid or discharged therefrom by compara- 1. In a mine laying submarine boat, comprising an inner pressure hull and an outer hull, a mine room, a mine stowage tube disposed fore and aft between the hulls and opening into said room, a mine receiving and discharge tubedisposed between the hulls and opening into the mine room in substantial alignment with the stowage tube, a valve controlling communication between the mine room and the receiving and discharge tube, and means for discharging a mine from said receiving and discharge tube.

2. In a mine laying submarine boat .comprising an inner pressure hull and an outer hull, a mine room, a mine stowage tube dis-- posed fore and aft between the hulls and opening at its after end into said room, a mine receiving and discharge tube disposed between the hulls and opening atits forward end into the mine room in proximity to and in substantial alignment with the aft-er end of the stowage tube, a valve controllingcommunication between the mine room and the receiving and discharge tube, and means for discharging a mine from said receiving and discharge tube. f Y

3. In a mine laying submarine boat, a mine room, a mine stowage tube opening at one end into said room, a mine receiving and dis'- charge tube exterior of the mine room and opening at one end into the room in proximity to and in alignment with said end of the stowage tube, the receiving and discharge tube having a mine discharge opening through its bottom, a removable closure for said opening, means for operating said closureV from lwithin the hull, and a valve for closingpthe open end of said receiving and discharge tube.

4. In a mine laying submarine boat, a mine room, a mine stowage tube disposed fore and aft of the hull Vstructure `and opening into the mine room, a4 mine receiving and discharge tube exterior `of the mine room and opening into said room, the open end of the receivingV and discharge tube being disposed in proximity to and alignment with the open end of the stowage tube, a valve for closing the open end of the receiving and discharge tube said receiving and discharge tube having a mine discharge openingl through its bottom, a door for` closing said opening and hinged at its innerside, and means. for operating the door from vwi-thinthe hull.;

5. .In a mine laying submarine boat, a mine room, a mine receiving and discharge tube opening directly into the room and having a mine discharge opening through itsbottom, valve means control-ling communication between the tube and the room, a removable closure member for said discharge opening, and means for operating said closure member from within the hull.

6. In a mine laying submarine boat,r a mine room, a mine receiving and discharge tube opening into the room and having a mine discharge openingl through its bottom into the sea, valve means controlling com`- munication between the tube and the room, a hinged cover for closing said opening, and means for operating said cover from within the hull.

7. In a mine layingl submarine boat',Y a mine room, a mine receiving and discharge tube opening into the room and having a mine discharge opening through its bottom into the sea, valve means cont-rolling communication between the tube and the room, a cover for closing said opening and hinged at its inner side, and means for operating said cover from within the hull.Y 4

8. In a mine laying submarine boat com prising an inner pressure hull andv an outer hull, a mine ioom, amine receiving and discharge tube disposed between the hulls and opening at one end directly into saidroom, valve means controlling communication. between the tube and the room, said tube having a mine discharge opening through its bottom and the outer hull having amineY discharge opening, a door for closing the discharge opening of the tube and disposed when' in full open position to direct a mine supported thereon through the opening ofthe outer hull, and means for opening and closing the door from within the 'inner hull. f

9. In a mine laying submarine boat comprising an inner pressure hull and an outei` hull, a mine room, a mine receiving and dlisf charge tube disposed between the hulls and opening at one end directly into said room,

valve means controlling communication be@v tween the tube and the room, said tube having a mine discharge opening through its bottom and the outer Vhull having amine discharge opening, 'a door for closing the discharge opening of the tube and hingedV at its inner side, the door when in full; open position being disposedrto direct a mine supported thereon through thek opening of thev outer' hull, and means tor opening and closingV the door from within the inner hull.

V10. In a mine laying submarine boat comprisingfan inner pressure hull and an outer hull, a mine room, a mine receiving and discharge tube disposed between the hulls and opening at one end direct-lyV into said room,

valve means controllingl communication be,-

and the outerl hull having a mine` discharge opening, a door for closing the discharge opening of the tube and disposed when in full open position to direct a mine supported thereon through thel opening of the` outer hulhmeans for opening and closing the door from withiny the inner hull, a closure plate adapted to close the opening through the outer hull, and operating connections between said plate and the door for, moving the plate into and out of operative position in accordance with closing and opening of said door.

1l.. In a mine laying submarine boat, a mine stowage tube opening at one end into the hull, means Jfor receiving mines from. said tube ,and discharging them exteriorly of the hull,and a removable closure mea-ns for said end of the tube- 12.` In a mine laying submarine boat, an inner pressure hull and an outer, hull, a mine stowage tube disposed between the hulls and closed at oneend and opening at its other end intothe inner huil,means for receiving mines from said tube and discharging themV eXteriorly or' thev hull, and removable closure means for the end of theA tube which opens into theinner hull.

13. In a mine laying submarine boat, in

combinatiomra mine stowagegA tube, a miney receiving and discharge tube having amine discharge opening through its bottominto the sea, a cover for closing said` opening and hinged at its inner side, means for operating said c over. from within the hull, and means for transferring mines from the stowage tube to the receiving and-discharge tube.

. 14. In aY mine laying 'submarine boat, a

mine room, mine discharge means comprising amine receiving and discharge tube exterior to the mine room and having a mine discharge opening through its bottom into the sea, a cover for closing said opening and hinged vat its inner side, and means for operating said cover troni within the hull'.

15. In a mine laying submarine boat, m-ine discharge means comprising a horizontal mine receiving and discharge tube at the side of the hulland havinga mine discharge open-` ing through its bottom into the sea, a cover f Jitor closing saidopening and hinged at its t inner side, and meansl for operating said cover roinwithin the hull. t

16. In a mine laying submarine, an inner izo hullland an outer hull provided witha mine y discharge opening throughitsside, a horizontal nii-ne receiving and discharge tube between the hulls and having a mine discharge opening through its bottom into the sea,-a

cover for closingy said opening of.. the tube and hinged at its inner side, said cover when opened being `disposed to. directa mine through the opening of the outer hull, a closure plate for the opening of the outer hull,

connections between said plate and the cover for moving the plate into positions to cover and uncover the opening of the outer hull in accordance With movement of the tube cover` into closed and open positions, and means for plperating said. tube cover from Within the ull.

lo In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of Aug., 1929.

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAR. 

